Kevin Durant knew exactly how close he was to history on Sunday night. Facing the New Orleans Pelicans, he needed just 17 points to surpass his idol, Dirk Nowitzki, on the NBA’s career scoring list—and he delivered. Durant finished with 18 points in Houston’s 119-110 win, capping the milestone with two free throws with 15.2 seconds left to move into sixth place all-time with 31,562 points. Nowitzki remains at 31,560, while Michael Jordan sits fifth at 32,292 points.
“To be up there with Dirk, somebody I looked up to, I idolized, I competed against… he always was supportive of my career and my game,” Durant said. “To be right under Michael Jordan, it’s crazy, man.”
Durant’s milestone wasn’t just another stat. His teammates noticed too.
“He’s passing people nightly,” Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said. “He just keeps accomplishing milestones, and he acts like it’s nothing. He’s a testament to what a basketball player is supposed to be.”
Reflecting on his early years in the league, Durant recalled his memorable battles with Nowitzki, including the 2011 Western Conference Finals when Dallas beat Durant’s Oklahoma City team 4-1 before winning the NBA title. The following season, Durant and the Thunder swept the Mavericks.
“There were times going into a series I hated Dirk, you know what I’m saying,” Durant said, “I’m sure it was vice versa.”
Durant also acknowledged how much he modeled his game after Nowitzki. “I tried to emulate as much as I can from all the great players, but I took a lot from Dirk,” he said.
After the win, a special video message from Nowitzki was displayed on the Rockets’ scoreboard. “It’s been incredible to watch his career,” Nowitzki said. “He’s one of the purest scorers this game has ever seen. Congrats KD, keep it going. Move up a couple more spots and keep it up.”
Durant appreciated the gesture. “For him to take time out of his day to send me a message on passing him on the charts is pretty cool,” Durant said. “It speaks to how humble Dirk is.”
Sunday night wasn’t just another win for Houston, it was another chapter in Durant’s legendary career, one that continues to climb the NBA’s record books.
